A persnickty approach to life sparked by chlorine intoxication, saddle sores, & the solitude of a long run

Caution: Schedule Overload

This week’s tip comes at a time when most of us are happy to simply get the workouts done, much less take things to the next level.

Stress, even good stress, takes a toll on the body. This is something we all need to remember as we cram in swimming/biking/running with all the holiday madness these next few weeks.

This quote from Ryan Hall sums it up perfectly:

“I actually think being a more balanced person makes a healthier, happier, and thus faster person. The question I try and ask myself when I consider whether or not to train more is what is my body craving and what is my body ready to absorb? Sometimes pushing harder is not the answer. It takes self control, confidence, and intuition to know when to train and when to rest, but when in question error on the side of being over rested. ”

I’m the same way…or when I run 10:00 min/mi instead of in the 8s…I work constantly to banish that mentality, but old habits die hard. When I was recovering from my hamstring and did NO hard efforts, but all slow distance instead I really saw my times improve. So the proof is not only in the science but in the actual results…..now to get the psyche to “believe”. 😉 We’re always a work in progress!!

That’s a good perspective, although maybe a bit harder in practice. As runners and triathletes we’re conditioned to think that faster is always better, when, in reality, sometimes going slower is the answer.

It’s the hardest part about what we do in my opinion. Its really why I need someone to review my data and call me out when I overreach…its addictive. You start seeing the possibilities and you want more….and more!!

This is such great info. It’s so easy to keep pushing hard to reach our goals, but if we burn ourselves out we are only putting ourselves behind. This is a huge realization that I just came to recently. I have been neglecting all of the basics, and in turn it has just been leaving me feel weak and not up to par. I’ve taken back control and am getting my body back in healthy mode before I go any further with any training plans. Even though I’m anxious, I know I will benefit in the long run.